NEWS

Ramp-Up Mississippi receives grant to help local seniors

From submitted reports
News in brief

The Ramp-Up Mississippi Fund received a $10,000 grant from the Home Instead Senior Care Foundation. The fund was created by Bob and Anna Edenfield, owners of the local Home Instead Senior Care office, and is managed by the Greater Pine Belt Foundation.

The Ramp-Up Mississippi Fund was established to build or rebuild handicap ramps and do minor modifications to homes allowing full access for physically challenged seniors. The ramps are built to allow seniors to have full, safe and easy access in and out of their homes which helps them to remain engaged with their families and community.

"The fund plans to build at least thirty ramps for disabled seniors over the next 12 months. These seniors are identified by social workers in the field," Anna Edenfield said, "All seniors eligible for the service must have a referral by a social worker and fill out an application to verify that they are unable to build this ramp with their own resources. The applications are thoroughly discussed and decided upon by a selection committee. Once the applicant is approved, the ramp is built quickly to avoid any further disruption in their life."

"Over a dozen projects were completed in 2014 with the cooperative efforts of Camilla Home Health and Home Instead Senior Care," said Edenfield. "For example, one ramp helped a wheelchair-bound double amputee. He was unable to get out of his home without assistance from friends. Now that he has a wheel-chair accessed ramp, he now has a sense of freedom."

The local Home Instead Senior Care office has provided in home care services to older adults since 2005. It is also one of seven organizations that has been awarded grant funding in 2015 from the Home Instead Senior Care Foundation.

"Our mission is very similar to Ramp Up MS, as we both help enhance the lives of aging adults and those who care for them," said Roger H. Baumgart, Executive Director of the Home Instead Senior Care Foundation. "We are pleased to provide grant funding to The Greater Pine Belt Community Foundation's Fund Ramp Up MS for making a positive difference in the safety, well-being and independence of seniors."